The Chachnāma (Fatḥnāma-yi Sind) 28.2
The Chachnamah, an Ancient History of Sind 28.2
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28.2.1
Hearing this, Muhammad Kasim called his Engineer Jaibat Salmi, and said: “Can you manage to break this flag-pole and the dome of the temple with the stones of the mangonels? If you can I shall give you a reward of ten thousand dirams.” Jaibat said: “Let two ram-rods be removed from that special catapult of the Khalifah, called the ‘Wee Bride,’ and with three stones I will blow off the flag and the pole, and break the dome of the temple.” Muhammad Kasim said: “if you break the flag-pole of the temple I shall give you 10,000 dams by way of reward; but if you not only fail to break down the temple but spoil the catapult in the bargain, what should be your punishment?” Jaibat replied: “If I miss the mark, then let the hands of Jaibat be cut off.” Muhammad Kasim, thereupon, wrote a letter to that prince of Governors, Hajjaj son of Yusif, in which he mentioned the conditions fixed by Jaibat. On the ninth-day a reply was received, via Kirman, sanctioning the acceptance of the terms fixed between them. It contained the following fresh instructions: “When you advance in a body for battle, see that you have the sun behind your backs, as (then) its glare will not prevent you from having a full view of the enemy. Engage in fight on the very first day, and supplicate the help of the great God. If anyone of the people of Sind ask for mercy and protection, do give it to him, but not to the residents of Debal, whom you must not spare on any account.”
28.2.2
Just then one of the soothsayers of the place came out of the fort and said: “I was always in the habit of consulting the book of fate, and when I came to know that the kingdom of Hind had come to its close, and that the rule of Mussalmans was about to commence, I consoled and comforted the Mussalman prisoners and women in the fort, with the news of the advent of the army of Islam. Now, if the general gives a written pardon to me and promises to spare the lives of my family and children, I would go back and cheer up the spirits of the prisoners.” Muhammad Kasim complied with his request, and gave him pardon. He was sent back to inform the prisoners, that the followers of Hajjaj had come up, that the fort would soon fall into their hands, and that they would soon set them at liberty. The next day, which was the ninth after their arrival at Debal, when the sun rose from his eastern abode, Muhammad Kasim called Jaubat, and the mangonel was removed to the place which had been appointed (by the latter), and the army was arrayed at the positions marked out for the different divisions, and a general assault was made on the fort from every direction; and volleys of arrows were shot and 500 men were brought to pull the ropes of the Khalifah’s catapult. Jaubat shot the first missile, and the Mussalmans uttered their war-cry: “God is great.” With the first blow the banner was torn asunder and was severed from the pole.
28.2.3
The second missile was, under the order of the general, aimed at the dome of the temple in which the pole was fixed. The pole and the dome were broken into pieces, and the talisman of the magicians was frustrated, and the Debalese were much frightened and, as ordained by the great and glorious God, the fort was (eventually) levelled to the ground. Muhammad Kasim distributed his army in different directions. First he posted Jehm son of Kais Jafi to the east of the fort, and Ata son of Malik A'shi to the west. Bananah son of Hanzalah Kilabi was ordered to fight towards the northern wall, and Aon son of Talet Dimishki towards the southern. The main or central body was put in charge of Zakwan son of Alwan Bakri, Hazim and Abu Mughairah. Thus divided, the Arabs pressed from all directions. The first man who got over the ramparts was Saadi son of Khuzaimah of Kufah. Next to him was Ajal son of Abdul Malik son of Kais Danti of Basrah. When thus the army of Islam scaled the walls of the fort, the Debalese opened the gates and asked for mercy. Muhammad Kasim replied that he had no orders to spare anyone in the town, and that the armed men had to do slaughtering for 3 days. Jahin son of Masaid managed to throw himself out of the fort at night time. Dahar son of Chach had already sent horses and camels for him. When he came out, he rode on to the river Mehran and arrived at a place called Karmiti, which was situated on the eastern bank of the river.
28.2.4
From there, he sent a messenger on an elephant to Dahar to communicate to him the sad news of the fall of Debal. Dahar asked the man: “Where is Jahin Budh?” The man replied: “At Karmiti,” which word means saltish earth. Hearing this ominous name, Dahar said: “May dust lie on your head! No evil name should be mentioned in the presence of kings lest they interpret it into a bad omen. Do not say that he has come to Karmiti, that is to me” (for he has left to come to me and your words may imply that I am like salt earth). Then Muhammad Kásim came to the temple. Those who had taken shelter in the temple wanted to close the door, and burn themselves to death. The two door-keepers, however, were dragged out and killed, and entry was then made. 700 beautiful females, who were under the protection of Budh, were all captured with their valuable ornaments, and clothes adorned with jewels. Four men at a time were admitted into the fort. Some say 400 men came in at once, and took away by force their ornaments.
28.2.5
Muhammad Kásim then desired to see those men to whom he had tendered pardon. When they came, he told them: “Now bring out those male and female Mussalman prisoners whom you have so long detained as hostages, those who were captured in the boats coming from Sarandeb; also those of the army of Bazil, who were taken prisoners, and men confined in your prison-house.” They were immediately brought out, and set at liberty. Then he appointed those men who had been confined in the fort of Debal, to be in charge of the occupants of the fort, saying: “As they have so long been in prison, they may now well enjoy some rest and pleasure as some amends for their past troubles and sufferings; let them experience happiness (now) at the hands of ever changing time, and try their best to keep watch over the fort and its occupants.” At the head of the Hindús of Debal was a person by name Kublah son of Musárayeh. He was a wise and ingenious man, a great philosopher of Hindús, a clever maker of plans. and a man of thorough knowledge. The prisoners of Bazil’s party and of Sarandeb had been under his keeping and control. Muhammad Kasim called this man and ordered him to be punished But he said: “O Amir, first enquire from the Mussalman prisoners as to how I have been treating them, and how I have been trying my utmost to console and comfort them. When your Excellency learns this, my life will be spared.”
28.2.6
Then Muhammad Kasim called his dragoman, and told him: “Ask this man what kindness he did to the prisoners.” The man replied: “Make that enquiry from the prisoners themselves that the real state of things and the truth of my assertion may become known to His Highness.” Thereupon, Muhammad Kasim ordered the prisoners to be brought to him. He then asked them: “What kindness and sympathy has this Kublah shown to you, oh prisoners?” All of them said: “We are much obliged to him. He did all he could to mitigate our misery and to comfort us. He used, at all times, to console us by giving us hopes of the speedy arrival of the army of Islam and of the conquest of Debal.” Muhammad Kasim then called upon him to accept the religion of Islam, and on his agreeing to the proposal Kublah was exalted to the honour of Islam, by his repeating the formula of the Mussalman faith regarding his belief in the unity of God and the prophetship of Muhammad. He was appointed superintendent over the accountants or revenue officers of Debal, who were now ordered to seek his advice in administrative matters, and to render account of the collections as well as of the expenditure to him, while Hamid son of Darad Najdi was made a supervising officer over them all, and the entire administration of the province was entrusted to him.
28.2.7
It is related by the writers of history, on the authority of Hakam son of Urwah, who heard it from his father and grandfather, that the name of the Brahmin who had prayed for and received pardon was Sud-dev, and that it was from him that Hakam’s grandfather received the following piece of information, namely: When Debal was conquered and the Mussalman prisoners were released, the slaves were brought out, and Muhammad Kasim ordered one-fifth of the spoils to be set apart in obedience to the religious law, and sent to the royal treasury. Accordingly the fifth part of the booty secured at Debal was sent to the treasury of Hajjaj, while the booty secured at the conquest of Arman Belah was distributed among the troops, according to their merit and rank—a horseman receiving double the share of a camelman or a foot soldier. What remained of the cash and slaves and other spoils was collected and sent to Hajjaj along with the two daughters of the ruler of Debal.